Wrightsville Beach June 3, 2010
Kelly Riley, of Wilmington, with her first king mackerel, which fell for a ballyhoo behind a pink South Chatham Tackle Pirate Plug at the John D. Gill while fishing with Jared Cranford on the "Blood Vessel."
Tex, of Tex’s Tackle, reports that the red drum and flounder bite is still going strong inshore, with most of the fish coming from near the inlets and creeks. Live baits like finger mullet and peanut pogies are hard to beat, but the fish will also take an interest in Gulps and other scented soft baits. Topwater plugs, too, will attract attention from the drum, particularly early in the day.
Plenty of spanish mackerel and bluefish are still feeding along the beaches, where anglers can hook up with them while trolling Clarkspoons and Yo-Zuri Deep Divers or casting Shore Lures and other metal jigs at any breaking schools they find.
The king mackerel bite is still decent along the beaches, and anglers found even better action in the 10-20 mile range. Live pogies are producing most of the action, and anglers are finding pogy schools along the beaches and inshore in the area.
Bottom fishermen have reported some good black sea bass action around structure 10-20 miles off the beaches, with a few gag grouper in the mix. Squid and cut baits (along with small metal jigs) will fool the bass, and cigar minnows or live baits should attract attention from the groupers.
Not many boats went to the Gulf Stream last week, but at last report the dolphin bite was still decent with an occasional wahoo thrown in. Rigged ballyhoo under skirted trolling lures are the best baits for the blue water fish.
Lloyd, of Intracoastal Angler, reports that anglers are still catching big numbers of spanish mackerel along the beaches and around nearshore structure. Casting Gotcha plugs and other lures to the edges of breaking schools of fish has been the best tactic lately.
Inshore, the flounder bite’s been good around the inlets and deeper channels. Live baits on Carolina rigs are top choices for the flatties, but anglers also had excellent luck while drifting Gulp jerkbaits on jigheads last week.
Some red drum are feeding in the usual places inshore, but the bite’s been a little slower this week.
Off the beaches, the king mackerel bite has been solid at spots in the 10-20 mile range like the Dredge Wreck, Schoolhouse, and many more. Dead cigar minnows and live baits are fooling the kings.
Some dolphin are beginning to be mixed in with the kings, and anglers reported hooking them as close as 7 miles off the beach last week.
Cliff Richardson with a cobia he hooked while slow-trolling live sardines just off of Wrightsville Beach while fishing with his sister and son aboard the "Buster."
Jim, of Plan 9 Charters, reports that the king mackerel bite slowed down a bit this past week, but anglers still put some kings in the boat while trolling in the 10 mile range. Dead cigar minnows are drawing most of the bites, and the downrigger baits produced much better results than those on the surface last week.
There are big numbers of bluefish along the beaches, and though some spanish are around, the blues seem to be beating them to the baits lately. Clarkspoons behind trolling weights and planers are fooling most of the fish.
Rick, of Rod-Man Charters, reports that some big bluefish (2-8 lbs.) are feeding along the beaches. Some spanish mackerel are mixed in, but the blues are making it difficult to catch them. When the majority of the blues move on, the spanish fishing should improve. Casting Maria jigs or other metal lures around schools of bait and breaking fish will fool the blues and spanish.
There have been plenty of pods of pogies moving along the beachfront from Masonboro to Carolina Beach inlets.
The king mackerel bite’s been good at the 10 mile areas, and slow-trolling live pogies seems to be outproducing dead-baiting lately.
Some cobia and more chopper bluefish are mixed in with the kings and will take an interest in the live baits.
Inshore, the red drum bite is still excellent along the ICW, with some of the best fishing around the docks. Live and dead pogies seem to be working equally well on the reds.
The flounder bite has improved dramatically, and anglers are hooking good numbers in Carolina Beach Inlet, Snow’s Cut, and the Cape Fear River. Live pogies are also excellent choices for the flatties.
Brad Wisecarver, of Wilmington, with 15 and 18 lb. red grouper that fell for whole squid while he was fishing some structure 44 miles off Wrightsville Beach with Micah Cox on the "Say When."
Warren, of Johnnie Mercer’s Pier, reports that anglers caught big numbers of chopper bluefish (to 10+ lbs.) on live baits fished on king rigs last week. A 17 lb. king mackerel also fell for one of the live baits.
Anglers fishing small live baits on the bottom are finding increasing numbers of keeper flounder.
Bottom fishing with shrimp has been producing a few spot and some whiting at night.
The water is 76 degrees.
